A Different Humour: A Quantitative and Qualitative Analysis of the Nature of Participation of Select Indian Female Stand-Up Comedians on YouTube

A Different Humour: A Quantitative and Qualitative Analysis of the Nature of Participation of Select Indian Female Stand-Up Comedians on YouTube

In recent times, Stand-up Comedy space in India has been registering itself as an alternative public sphere. As comedy has always been understood to be a masculine domain in any given society, it becomes imperative to examine if this aspect of the ????implied??? public sphere of the Stand-up Comedy space changes the dimension of comedy. This dissertation studied the nature of participation of both the male and female stand-up comics on YouTube using descriptive surveys which reported the default nature of the stand-up comedy space in India. Furthermore, the thesis studied the implications of the performances by select few female comics with specific reference to the audience reception of their comedic routines. In addition, this dissertation studied how female stand-up comics negotiate their citizenship and gender in a stand-up comedy space in India. Thematic and Critical Discourse Analysis were used to examine the theme, style, and nature of humour pervasive throughout their comedic routines. The style of humour presentation by the select female comics included subversion which was articulated in varied ways, often by marking it explicitly through themes, narratives and humour, and in other times, using it covertly. The thesis explored the dimensions of ???unladylike??? or ???unfunny??? which were used as markers to identify their routines by both themselves and their YouTube audience/commentators, the thesis also attempted to explain how these comedians found a balance between ????doing gender??? and ????undoing gender??? in these comedy spaces. The thesis concluded with an argument that the stand-up comedy space as negotiated by the select comics provides us a glimpse of an emergent feminist public sphere.

Sonali Sahoo

English